Square Pizza SchermCo

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg and Taylor James are in conversation with Dr. Adrian Mims, Founder & CEO, The Calculus Project. The Calculus Project partners with school districts, parents, teachers, and partners to accelerate learning in mathematics for Black, Hispanic, and low-income students beginning in grade 7.

Fun fact: Taylor is an alum of The Calculus Project, and she went through the program in Boston when she was growing up. 

In this episode: 
Dr. Mims + TCPHistory + ContextScope and scale of TCPOutcomes of TCPTaylor + TCPHer experience growing up and attending schools in BostonWhy she joined TCPSchermCo + TCP Partnership Earned Revenue Model(s) + StrategyReflections on process + outcomesWins 

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Jia Lin-Bothe, our Director of Family Empowerment, is in conversation with two special guests from SchermCo's family empowerment work. Keiba Young is a parent from one of our partner schools last year and attended the Parent Leadership Institute training in March 2023.
 
In this episode:
This episode features Keiba's insights and reflections from this powerful training. Arleen Vargas joins us from Innovate Public Schools to share more about the upcoming Leadership Institute, taking place April 11-13, 2024.

Check out Innovate Public Schools' work here: https://innovateschools.org/. 
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The Square Pizza Pod welcomes back a guest who last appeared on March 4, 2021, Nicole Jarbo. Nicole is the interim CEO of 4.0 Schools. 4.0 connects, coaches, and invests in people to test new learning spaces and tools with their communities.

In this episode: 
Last InterviewCEO of GoodbetsCareer as a collegiate soccer player at Cal / Alex Morgan Fundraising best practices Overview of Boost + her journey Start of her career, lecturing at CalTeach for America in New OrleansAdvice for entrepreneurs and leadersInterim CEO, 4.0 SchoolsOverviewCurrent focus as Interim CEOCEO Search AIWhere she is in the AI journeySupport the Show.

Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Irene Shih, CEO, MMBay. Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) is an education nonprofit that connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their future, and change the world.

In this episode:
The story behind launching Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBAY)What MMBAY doesProviding educational opportunities to underserved studentsCurrent initiativesMentorship and college readiness programsRecruiting volunteersEnsuring alignment with the organization's mission and student needsEvolution over the next yearExpanding reach and impact through innovative partnerships and initiativesUndermatching, Cross-Class BridgingFocus on social mobility and capital for studentsProfessional background Career from the classroom, a leader of a non-profit, as well as city, state, and policy level workBio:
 
Irene Shih is CEO of Minds Matter Bay Area (MMBay) based in San Francisco, CA. She joined MMBay as its first full-time CEO in 2019, returning to her hometown roots in the Bay Area. For 18 years, Irene has served students in low-income communities — previously as a middle and high school classroom teacher in Arizona, a strategic advisor to superintendents in large urban school districts like Boston Public Schools, and a thought leader on state-level education policy in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Irene is a corps member alumna of Teach For America, holds an M.P.P. in Social & Urban Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and completed a B.A. in English Literature and Women's Studies from U.C. Berkeley.

As CEO of MMBay, Irene leads a 300-student and 300-volunteer strong community to foster a world-class educational environment that nurtures generational impact on high-school students by cultivating transformational relationships between students and an ecosystem of volunteer mentors. Since assuming the position in 2019, Irene has led the chapter through its expansion from San Francisco into San Jose.
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Welcome back to another episode of the #squarepizzapod. This week, Greg is in conversation with Ali Medina, Executive Director of the Oakland Public Education Fund. The Oakland Public Education Fund is a nonprofit that leads the development of community resources in Oakland public schools so that all students can learn, grow, and thrive.

In this episode: 
Current Role, Executive Director, Oakland Public Education FundStarted in April of 2020  Core aspects / programs of the Oakland Public Education FundFiscal sponsor for OUSDRaising and managing $20M to support innovative initiativesProfessional BackgroundFuture Work What initiatives does the organization envision to advance and improve the educational environment for students in Oakland public schools?Bio:
Ali Medina has served as the Executive Director of the Oakland Public Education Fund (Ed Fund) since April 2020. She has led the agency through two major campaigns, the COVID-19 Rapid Relief Campaign and #OaklandUndivided. The COVID-19 campaign raised over $3M for food security, distance learning, healthy schools, and direct aid to families. As a lead founding partner in #OaklandUndivided, the Ed Fund serves as the fiscal sponsor of this city-wide campaign to close the digital divide. #OU raised $13M in its first round and provided 25,000 students in Oakland public schools with computers and internet access.

Previously, Ali spent eight years as the Senior Director of Programs at a community-based education organization in Oakland working with secondary students and building a new preschool. She created, designed, and implemented community school programming at four Oakland high schools to build career pathways and is an expert in using data to drive improvement. 

She began her career at the forefront of after-school program development and was a statewide leader in the Healthy Schools movement. She served as an After School Services Administrator for five years, administering over $4M in state and federal grant-funded programs and intervention services. 

Ali graduated from the University of California-Berkeley with a BA in History focusing on Ethnic Studies and earned a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Cal State East Bay.
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To our listeners, thanks for making 2023 another great year. SchermCo wishes you the happiest of holidays, and we look forward to seeing you back next year. We have some fresh slices coming your way in January 2024. 
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